Day 1

THE OKAVANGO DELTA

Arrival Maun and overnight: Camp Xakanaxa, Moremi Game Reserve

Your international flight arrives in Maun, a small town on the southernmost edge of the legendary Okavango Delta that's the capital of Botswana's safari industry. You will be met on arrival and guided through to your connecting, small plane flight to Camp Xakanaxa (pronounced ka-ka-na-ka!) in the Moremi Game Reserve. 

On arrival at Camp Kaxanaxa's airstrip you will be met by your safari guide and transfered to the camp in an open safari vehicle. It's a short drive and you may see game along the way. 

You will be greeted in camp by your hosts and shown to your tent after check-in formalities have been finalised. Flights into camp usually arrive in time for you to participate in an afternoon game activitiy, so you will be briefed on arrangements and offered the chance to  either go on a guided game drive in the Moremi Game Reserve or take a boat-based safari, exploring the lagoon and its channels.

You will return to camp after your game activity in time for drinks around the boma fire on the fire deck and a sumptuous three-course dinner, marvelling at the richness of the African night skies and the cacophany of sounds that the African night offers up.

About Camp Xakanaxa

Overlooking the Khwai River and the Xakanaxa Lagoon, Xakanaxa is one of the few camps in this region that can offer a year-round land and water safari experience, thanks to its network of permanent water channels and lagoons. This gorgeous tented camp has just 11 spacious Meru-style luxury safari tents, all with private decks offering views out over the lagoon.

The tents all have their own en-suite showers, hand basins and toilet facilities and offer a blend of rustic African charm, home-from-home comfort and luxurious finishes. The camp's main buildings are raised on platforms that extend out over the Khwai River to maximise the stunning views. There is an elegant lounge area and dining room, all built from local timber, reed and thatch and an expansive deck with its own plunge pool, sala and day-bed that's the perfect place to lay back and watch wild Africa pass by.

The boma deck is out over the river and is wonderful for relaxing after dinner with drinks around the fire, sharing stories of the day's adventures. In the grounds is a larger swimming pool with another elevated sun deck.

The game viewing activities at Camp Xakanaxa are superlative, with the option of land-based and water-based safaris. Game drives take place in the Moremi Game Reserve, exploring the region around the camp which is rich in wildlife. Sightings of elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard are commonplace and the birding is spectacular, especially in the spring and summer months when you can expect to see a range of summer migrants nesting. From southern carmine bee-eaters to Wahlberg's eagle. Lifers include the Gabar goshawk, Pel's fishing owl and African hawk eagle. Wildfowl and waders are also abundant. 

You will also see a variety of plains game from giraffe, wildebeest and kudu to waterbuck and red lechwe. 

Water-based safaris take place in specially adapted powerboats offering you a unique vantage point from which to explore this area of the Okavango Delta. Hippos and crocodiles abound and you may also see huge herds of elephants as they come to drink and cross the channels to islands. Add to this visits to stork rookeries and the array of diverse birdlife and you have the perfect combination of Delta experiences.

Day 2

At Camp Xakanaxa

You will have an early wake-up call this morning, shortly before dawn, so you can take part in a morning game activity, choosing between a game drive in the Moremi Game Reserve or a water-based activity.

You'll gather around the camp fire for coffee and rusks before heading out just as the sun begins to break over the horizon. This is one of the most exciting times of day in the African bush as nocturnal animals and predators seek places to rest and the diurnal species begin their daily routines, finding water and food. 

Get your binoculars primed for the African pygmy goose, slatey egret and African skimmer, all of which are endemic to the Delta.

Morning activities are interrupted by a coffee stop at a suitable place selected by your safari guide, where you can stretch your legs and enjoy a mug of tea, coffee or hot chocolate and some wonderful home-baked goodies! Try a tot of Amarula in your coffee if you dare! It's a wonderful African cream liqueur made from the fruits of the marula tree and its an absolute must!

You'll return to the camp for a hearty breakfast and some siesta time, either relaxing by one of the pools or back in your tent. A late lunch is served before you ready yourself for the afternoon/evening game activity of your choice.

Afternoon game activities are interrupted by a safari tradition of note - sundowners. This is where you get to toast the setting sun and absorb the spirit of wild Africa, digesting what amazing things you've seen and done during the day and welcoming the coming night. 

On a water-based safari you will return to camp after sundowners. On a game drive you will continue the last part of your drive in darkness with a spotlight, looking for nocturnal species you rarely see during the day like civet, genet and birds such as owls and nightjars.

You will return to the camp in time for dinner and another wonderful night's sleep in the African wilderness.

Day 3

SHAKAWE

Transfer to Xaro Lodge, Shakawe

After your morning game activity and breakfast, you'll be transferred the Xakanaxa airstrip for your connecting flight to Shakawe in northern Botswana on the Okavango River.

After landing at Shakawe airstrip you will be met for your transfer by road and boat to Xaro Lodge. After check-in formalities you'll be taken to your beautuful luxury safari tent where you can freshen up before joining an afternoon boat cruise along the Kavango River.

Your afternoon cruise will take you along the Okavango River, looking for some of the incredible bird species that make this area such a legendary birding destination!

Species that are spotted regularly include Pel’s fishing owl, African skimmers, southern carmine bee-eaters, egrets, night herons, a variety of kingfisher species, pygmy geese and the inimitable African fish eagle. 

After your cruise, enjoy a wonderful, home-cooked dinner at the lodge, enjoy drinks around the fire and marvel at the night skies, filled with glittering stars.

About Xaro Lodge

Located in the north of Botswana not far from the border with Namibia, Xaro Lodge is nestled in a grove of giant mangosteen trees on an island in the Okavango River and is accessible only by boat.

This intimate 24-bed lodge's luxurious Meru-style safari tents, each with en-suite bathroom facilities and private decks looking out over the river, are designed to immerse guests in this tropical paradise surrounded by water.

The tents are raised on wooden platforms and have large, sliding glass doors allowing for uninterupted views from the comfort of the bed! Sunrises are spectacular here!

Xaro's communal lounge and dining areas offer a comprehensive library and plenty of space for relaxing with a pair of binoculars and updating your tick list!

Meals are hearty and home-cooked with love and served either in the dining area or outside, under the stars.

This is a birding and photography destination of note, with mostly water-based activities on offer, taking in the unique rivering forests and floodplains where more than 300 species of bird can be seen.

Day 4

At Xaro Lodge

Today is a special day as we take you to visit the incredible Tsodilo Hills UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We depart after breakfast for this incredible place, known as the "Louvre of the Desert" where there are more than 4,500 paintings preserved in an area of only 10 sq km of the northern Kalahari basin, not far from Xaro Lodge and about 40km from Shakawe. 

Tsodilo Hills is believed by the local San Bushmen to be the site of the first creation and its rock art is estimated to date back some 24,000 years in some instances. Other pieces of art are more modern, dating only a few hundred years old.

The rock shelters, caves and depressions of the area have been used by the Bushmen for millennia and they believe the four hills, rising unexpectedly from the largely flat landscape, are a resting place for the spirits.

We will take a picnic lunch with us to Tsodilo, and enjoy it at leisure in this spectacular place, taking the day to explore and take in the atmosphere and amazing views, as well as visiting the small museum, before returning to the lodge in the late afternoon.

There will be time to freshen up and relax before pre-dinner drinks and a wonderful dinner, discussing the day's adventure.

Day 5

At Xaro Lodge

After breakfast you'll have the chance to explore the area on an island walk that brings you into close contact with the unique fauna and flora of this area.

This fully guided walk takes in the 30ha island and gives you the chance to spot lifers like Pel's fishing owl and the beautiful narina trogon, as well as learning about the endemic species of plants and trees that make Xaro so special.

You'll return to the lodge in time for a light lunch and some down-time before you head out on a river cruise and some more birdwatching. Or perhaps you'd like to stay at the lodge and relax - the choice is yours!

It's your last night here in paradise, so we'll raise a few drinks to a successful birding safari before we tuck into a wonderful dinner and bid you good night.

Day 6

JOURNEY'S END

Transfer to Kasane for onward journey/home 

It's the end of your wonderful Best African Safaris journey taking in some of the most beautiful destinations Botswana has to offer. 

After breakfast, you'll be transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Kasane where you will connect for your onward journey or take your flight home and we will bid you farewell. We hope to see you again!

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